Mixed metal oxide ammoxidation catalysts

A process for the conversion of an olefin selected from the group consisting of propylene, isobutylene or mixtures thereof, to acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, and mixtures thereof, respectively, by reacting in the vapor phase at an elevated temperature and pressure said olefin with a molecular oxygen containing gas and ammonia in the presence of a catalyst wherein the relative ratios of the elements in said catalyst are represented by the following formula:

• Mo12BiaFebAcDdEeFfGgCehOx
• wherein
• A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium;
• and
• D is at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, magnesium, calcium, strontium, cadmium and barium;
• E is at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, tungsten, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, vanadium and tellurium;
• F is at least one element selected from the group consisting of a rare earth element, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, silicon, germanium, and lead;
• G is at least one element selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum and mercury;
• and
• a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h and n are, respectively, the atomic ratios of bismuth (Bi), iron (Fe), A, D, E, F, cerium (Ce) and oxygen (O), relative to 12 atoms of molybdenum (Mo), wherein
• a is from 0.05 to 7,
• b is from 0.1 to 7,
• c is from 0.01 to 5,
• d is from 0.1 to 12,
• e is from 0 to 5,
• f is from 0 to 5,
• g is from 0 to 0.2,
• h is from 0.01 to 5, and
• n is the number of oxygen atoms required to satisfy the valence requirements of the other component elements present;
• wherein 0.15≦(a+h)/d≦1 and 0.8≦h/b≦5, and
• wherein the X-ray diffraction pattern of the above identified catalytic composition has X-ray diffraction peaks at 2θ angle 28±0.3 degrees and 2θ angle 26.5±0.3 degrees, and wherein the ratio of the intensity of the most intense x-ray diffraction peak within 2θ angle 28±0.3 degrees to the intensity of most intense x-ray diffraction peak within 2θ angle 26.5±0.3 degrees is defined as X/Y, and wherein X/Y is greater than or equal to 0.7.